1892-1893 So-Called Dollar HK-243c, 93) Il Board of Lady Managers

Coin Details

Description

Designated HK-243c in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1892 piece commemorates 93) Il Board of Lady Managers. The Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, at 1,687 by 787 feet, was the largest building in the world at the time, covering over 30 acres under a single roof and housing exhibits from 50 nations. Struck in bronze, this piece combines durability with an attractive warm tone that deepens with age into a rich chocolate-brown patina. Bronze was the preferred composition for many commemorative medals due to its excellent detail retention. Both the U.S. Mint and numerous private firms struck Columbian medals. Charles Barber designed official mint issues. The exposition also generated the first U.S. commemorative coins (Columbian half dollar). Barber's clean, classical engraving style defined the look of official American exposition medals for over three decades of world's fairs. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments. This piece is a variant of HK-243, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-243c are scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Gilded Age commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation. Variant types are generally scarcer than the primary issue.

Cross References

HK-243c; PCGS #642593; NGC #851967